Record

Altar (back)

Altar (back)

This stone altar was found at the site of the Roman fort at Bar Hill in Dumbartonshire. It was erected between 140 and 165 AD and is dedicated to the god Apollo. This picture shows the back of the altar.

The altar has a richly moulded top and base. This face has a carving of a wreath, one of the symbols of Apollo, the god of light, healing and prophecy.

An altar was a public sign of a worshipper's beliefs in the Roman world. On each is recorded the donor's name as well as that of the deity. Offerings were made in the hollow on the top.